Walden; Or, Instagram Selfies in the Woods

It may shock you to learn that before Walden was an Instagram filter, it was the title of a book written in 1845 by Henry David Thoreau, based on his year of self- sufficient, cabin-bound living alongside the Concord pond of the same name. But where Thoreau once pondered the condition of man, man (and woman) now ponders the optimal selfie angle. In an attempt to bridge the two centuries and disparate endeavors, we posed philosophical questions from the classic tome to Walden-based Instagrammers.

Thoreau said, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately.” Why did you?

We were really just looking to get away from our residential neighborhood. I have a four-year-old, and we wanted to get out with him. My husband and I were just being kind of goofy. We thought, how crazy to be taking a picture with Thoreau and an iPhone at Walden Pond. It’s kind of ironic.

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Keeoma

Good objective approach to pic/question article. But people/kids who identify with Thoreau probably would not want their pic taken.